A touch screen is described, for example, in German Utility Model Patent Publication No. 201 02 197 U. German Utility Model Patent Publication No. 201 02 197 U describes a touch screen for visually representing electronic signals and for inputting symbols by touching the screen for confirmation purposes. It includes a functional plane for visual representation and keystroke input and a higher-level protective plane corresponding thereto that is deformable at certain points, as seen in resistive touch screens. In addition, the protective plane may not necessarily be deformable, but can be used for transmitting signals for the touch screen to determine the location of the user's input. Examples are capacitive, Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW), and Grounded Acoustic Wave (GAW) touch screens. In this context, when certain points of the functional plane are selected by touching-type contact across the protective plane, at least one confirmation signal is generated for the user's sense of touch (haptic stimulus) that is perceptible at the position of the point of contact in the deformed protective plane, and the confirmation signal for the sense of touch (haptic stimulus) is generated by vibration elements eccentrically positioned within and/or underneath the functional plane. In addition, in the touch screen described in German Utility Model Patent Publication No. 201 02 197 U, the generated vibrations are transmitted from the functional plane to the protective plane as the result of direct contacting of the two planes and/or via the edge regions of the planes by way of rigid or elastic connecting elements.
German Utility Model Patent Publication No. 201 80 024 U, i.e., PCT International Published Patent Application No. WO 01/54109, describes a touch-screen control featuring haptic feedback for inputting signals into a computer and for outputting forces to a user of the touch-screen control, the touch-screen control having a touch-screen input device which has a virtually plane touch-screen surface. On the basis of a position on the touch-screen surface that is touched by a user, a positional signal is input into a processor of the computer, the positional signal reproducing the position in two dimensions. The touch-screen control in accordance with the German Utility Model Patent Publication No. 201 80 024 U, i.e., PCT International Published Patent Application No. WO 01/54109, also has at least one actuator connected to the touch-screen input device, the actuator outputting a force to the touch-screen input device to provide the user touching the touch-screen surface with a haptic sensation, the actuator outputting the force directly to the touch-screen input device on the basis of force information output by the processor.
German Published Patent Application No. 197 31 285 describes an operating element for a device having a plurality of selectable menus, functions, and/or functional values. Its operating surface is understandable to the user and, by locally moving or touching the operating surface, the user is able to make his/her selection. The design of the operating surface can be altered to conform with the selected and/or selectable menu, function and/or functional value.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a display device, e.g., designed as a touch screen, having a display, e.g., for displaying information relevant to the operation of a motor vehicle.